


Forging Bonds

by irisandlily



Series: Kith and Kin - FE Families Zine [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Family, Family Bonding, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen, Kith & Kin - FE Families Zine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:35:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24200683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irisandlily/pseuds/irisandlily
Summary: My first piece for the Kith and Kin - FE Families Zine!Female Corrin bonding with her Nohrian and Hoshidon siblings!
Relationships: Camilla & My Unit | Kamui | Corrin, Elise & My Unit | Kamui | Corrin, Hinoka & My Unit | Kamui | Corrin, Leon | Leo & My Unit | Kamui | Corrin, Marx | Xander & My Unit | Kamui | Corrin, My Unit | Kamui | Corrin & Ryoma, My Unit | Kamui | Corrin & Sakura, My Unit | Kamui | Corrin & Takumi, hoshido siblings - Relationship, nohr siblings - Relationship
Series: Kith and Kin - FE Families Zine [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1746661
Kudos: 13





	Forging Bonds

**Author's Note:**

> when you come up with a title after the release of the zine oof  
> You can download the zine on their twitter or tumblr @hyphenzines!

** Xander **

**__** _“I never thought you would turn your back on your kingdom and your family. Your betrayal will not be forgiven.”_

_“Return to Nohr with me. Surely there’s some part of you that still remembers your true family.”_

_“Brother... my mind is made up.”_

_“If that’s the case... I will end this quickly.”_

_“I’d like to think that things could have turned out differently in another world. We could have ended the war together, fighting side by side.”_

“What are you doing little princess?” Corrin looks up from where she squats in the dirt to see Xander staring down at her, his expression it’s usual seriousness.

She stands up quickly, cheeks pink as she wipes her dirt-covered hands on her apron. It doesn’t matter much, seeing as her skirt is caked with dirt anyway, as are her legs and feet.

She discarded her shoes hours ago, preferring to be barefoot anyway. 

She doesn’t mind getting dirty, though it _is_ embarrassing that she’s been caught by Xander. They aren’t close like she is with Leo, certainly not as close as she is with Camilla and Elise, but she still admires him and thinks highly of his opinion.

He stands waiting for an answer, “Gardening.”

“I didn’t know there was a garden here.” his gaze sweeps over the garden. It really can’t be called a garden, at least not in its current state. It is still filled with dead trees and plants, not suitable for spending time with her siblings in, so she had avoided it when they came to visit her. 

“It was going to be a surprise,” she says quietly, looking down at her feet. She’d been working hard on the garden the past few months, rarely asking Gunther or Jakob for help, which she was proud of. When the garden would look like a garden in another month or two, she wants to show it to her siblings as a surprise. 

She didn’t expect any of them to be awake at the crack of dawn and find her in the garden though. Corrin could barely wake up at dawn herself. 

“I wanted to show you guys the garden once everything grew.” she gestures at the flowers and other plants that had begun to grow, little by little. She kneels down again, where she was putting and transferring plants that had been brought for her a few days ago into the dirt.

Xander kneels down beside her, taking the small shovel from her hands and digging at the hole she was digging at before he had arrived.

“Brother-! You don’t have to-”

“I want to.” Corrin blinks, stunned for a moment as Xander helps, though recovers quickly with a smile and goes to work on the garden. “What made you start gardening?” he asks after a few minutes.

“...I can’t go outside the fortress,” she answers, picking up one of the flowers that she had planted weeks ago, but wilted away due to her carelessness. “I can’t visit the flowerbed Elise is always talking about, I can’t accompany you or Leo on a leisurely horse ride, and I can’t join Camilla on walks by the lakeside.” she plucks the petals, one by one. “So I thought- if the garden grew into something beautiful, we could spend our time together here. Outside.”

“One day, little princess.” he gently pats her head. “For now, I’ll help you with this garden, so we may spend time with Camilla, Elise, and Leo out here in the future.”

** Camila **

**__** _“I will do what I must and pierce your body with my blade. And then cradle you in my arms… just as I did when you were a child.”_

_“Sister…”_

_“Are you going to kill me now?”_

“Camilla!” Corrin rushes down the stairs to give her older sister a hug. “Welcome back!”

“My, aren’t you a bundle of excitement.” Camilla hugs her back, pulling away to look at her, “It’s good to see you, Corrin. I’m sorry the others couldn’t make it today.”

“It’s fine.” the twelve-year-old smiles, taking her sister’s hand and dragging her away.

“What are we doing today Corrin?” Camila smiles and lets herself be led through the fortress.

“You promised you’d teach me to act like a proper lady!” they end up in the library, approaching a pile of books that sit on one of the tables. “These are all the books I could find on etiquette!”

Camilla looks her over. “So you couldn’t reach for the ones on the high shelf?” she teases.

“Everything is just out of my reach.” Corrin crosses her arms with a pout. “I can’t help it when I’m so small!” 

Camila shakes her head with a laugh, picking up a book and flipping through the pages. “I’m sure all these books you gathered are more than enough, but I’ve learned that it’s best to learn from experience rather than books.” she places it down and turns back to Corrin. “I’ll teach you over some tea.”

“First-” Camila begins, after they’ve had tea. “Straighten your posture. A lady mustn’t slouch in her chair.” Corrin does as instructed. “And you can’t wander around barefoot all the time. It’s fine if you’re in your personal quarters or around friends and family, but if you were barefoot in front of other nobles there’d be an uproar.”

“But it’s so much easier to move around without shoes.”

Camila shakes her head at her words, “But if you one day go outside it’s a sure way of cutting yourself on a rock, or stepping on something that will stab through the skin and lodge itself in your foot.” Corrin certainly can’t argue with that logic. 

Camila continued explaining different rules of etiquette and what was expected of a ‘proper’ young lady. How “lady must know how to delight the ear and soul with music”. Seeing as Corrin was already learning the piano, that was mostly skipped over.

“And one of the most important things a young lady must learn is to dance.”

Corrin tilts her head. “Dance?” she’s done that before, several times, with Camila and Elise mostly, but with Leo and Xander occasionally joining them. “But I already know how to dance.”

“Ballroom dancing is a bit different, more formal, and expected for balls or events once you get older.” Camila stands up, motioning her to do the same. “Come. I'll teach you.”

Camila teaches her the basics of ballroom dancing, and Corrin, for the most part, does well and manages to step on her older sister’s feet only twice. 

“Look at you.” Camila smiles when they finish, “In only an hour you’ve managed to master ballroom dancing perfectly. You’re quite a natural.”

Corrin blushes with embarrassment at the praise, “Only because I had you as a teacher. If someone else were teaching me I don’t think I would have done so well.”

“Don’t be so modest Corrin.” Camila pats her head, “You’re a wonderful dancer and a diligent student. How about the next time the others are able to visit, we throw our own little ball?” 

“Really?” she practically shakes with excitement at the idea.

“Really.” Camila assures with a smile, “We’ll have the chef cook up an extravagant banquet and hire musicians to play.”

“I’d like that very much!”

** Leo **

**__** _“It’s time to answer for your betrayal! I’ve even gone to the trouble of trapping you in a proper graveyard. After all, the sister I once loved is dead. It’s only fitting.”_

_“I don’t wish to fight you, Brother.”_

_“You chose the light and left those who love you most to rot in the dark, traitor!!”_

Corrin peeks behind a bookshelf, mouth breaking into a mischievous grin as she spots blonde hair, back turned away from her. She slips off her shoes quietly and tiptoes over to them.

“Leo!!” she jumps, throwing her arms over his shoulders as he seems to cringe (and wince) at her shouting. Or maybe it was her shoes hitting him in the face.

“Sister.” his shoulders relax, and he cranes his head to look at her. “Do you need anything?”

“What are you doing?” the 11-year-old princess stares at the board laid out before him on the table.

“Playing chess.”

“That game you play with Xander? By yourself?” she asks, puzzled. Why would he play the game alone? That didn’t seem fun at all.

“I’m practicing.” he turns back to the board, removing her arms from his shoulders. She stares for a few moments, an idea forming in her head. She plops herself on the cushiony seat across from him. “What are you doing?”

“I want to play.” she picks up a white chess piece, though she puts it back down in favor of a different white chess piece in the shape of a horse. “Please teach me.”

“Didn’t you say it looked boring the other day?”

“That’s because _I_ wasn’t playing.” she turns the piece in her hand, “What’s this piece?”

“That’s the knight.”

“What does it do?”

“The knight can move forward, back, left, or right two squares, and then one square horizontally.” Leo demonstrates with a black knight chess piece. 

“But what if another chess piece is in the way?”

“Then the knight can jump over them. If it’s a piece from the opposing team, they can capture it.” Corrin continues to bombard him with questions of the game, and Leo answers with surprising patience, showing her what each piece is for.

“So if this is the king piece… is this the queen?” it was similar to the king piece, though shorter with a ring of ridges resembling a crown and a little nub in the middle at the top.

“The queen is the most powerful piece on the board.” Leo picks up the black queen piece. “It can move any number of squares, and in any direction.”

“Amazing!” she exclaims, “I think I get it, now let’s play!” 

They play a game of chess, which ends rather quickly with Corrin unknowingly leaving herself wide open for Leo to attack her Queen.

“One more game!” she demands, and so they continue playing, and each time Corrin loses. “Leo you’re too good at this!” she pouts after she loses on their fifth game. “And- and I’m terrible!”

“Sister you can’t expect to beat me after one day of learning.” Leo shakes his head, “I’ve been playing longer than you have.”

“We should play a different game,” Corrin mutters skulkingly, crossing her arms as she sinks into the chair. 

“Like what?”

“Like…” she thinks for a moment, standing up in excitement. “Hide and seek!” Corrin is sure she sees a look of what could be described as fear flash briefly across her brother’s face, though she isn’t quite sure.

“I’d rather not.”

“But Leo-!” she walks around the table to stand next to him, leaning her back against his arm, knowing that it annoys him when she does so. “Hide and seek is sooooooo fun!”

“Why don’t you play with Elise then?”

“She has a cold! _Pleaaassee_ Leo?” she begs, “Just five rounds!”

He sighs, “Make it three.”

“Deal!” she grins, giving him a hug before running out the room, throwing her shoes carelessly to the side. “I’ll hide first so count to 30!”

** Elise **

**__** _“It’s like the heart’s been ripped from the castle. I get so lonely there.”_

_“I tried, Elise.”_

_“Your sword… Lay it down for me.”_

_“Nohr needs more from you. Not just your strength… What we need… is caring… and a warm hand… and tears.”_

“I’m terrible at this.” Corrin laughs, “I’m not even holding it properly am I?”

“Your arm is bent at an awkward angle.” Elise giggles, hopping off the stool. “And your hand shouldn’t be holding it like that. I’ll show you.” the young princess takes the violin from her hands and holds it in position for her to see. “Align it with the rest of your arm like this.” she turns for Corrin to see, and the elder mimics her pose.

Elise bursts out laughing. 

“I feel silly,” Corrin says with embarrassment, dropping her arms to her side. 

“Your posture is so stiff, you do look kinda silly.” Elise giggles again, “Here.” she hands the violin to her. “Hold it like this.” she mimics holding a violin, and Corrin copies her again. “You got it! Now straighten your back, and relax your shoulders.” she does as instructed. “Good! Now try playing the song.” she gestures at the music sheet on the stand.

Corrin squints at it.

There are some music notes she recognizes, and truthfully the sheet music isn’t all that different from what she would play on the piano. 

Except for the fact the violin sheet music has one line while the piano has two lines. And that there are a few extra markings she doesn’t recognize and can’t even begin to comprehend.

She doesn’t want to let Elise down, but Corrin knows if she attempts to play, both their ears will bleed out.

She glances at Elise, who sits on the stool, smiling earnestly at her, waiting patiently. 

She focuses her attention back to the sheet music, and the moment she moves the bow against the strings, a terrible noise akin to a frog croaking emitted from the instrument, causing her to cringe, the noise changing to nails on a chalkboard as she attempts to play a bit more.

Elise has her hands over her ears with a grimace and a slight smile.

“That was absolutely terrible.”

“You do need a bit more practice.” Elise admits, “But for your first time playing it wasn’t _all_ that bad.”

Corrin shakes her head, handing the instrument back to her. “I think it’ll take me years to even be able to play something akin to a melody on that.”

“I can help you practice!” Elise prompts, “Then we can play duets together!”

“Why don’t we play one right now?” Corrin sits down at the grand piano, and Elise smiles brightly at the suggestion, bouncing out of her seat to stand next to the piano. “What should we play?”

“Our song!” Elise holds her violin up, “You know the one!”

“The one I composed for your birthday last year?” Elise nods her head enthusiastically, “You always ask me to play it for you.”

“Because it’s beautiful to hear you play it.” the older princess smiles softly at the compliment and begins to play the melody. Her fingers dance and glide across the keys, and Elise joins in, the sounds of the violin and piano creating a beautiful but haunting melody that echoes throughout the fortress.

** Ryoma **

Corrin sits on the porch connected to her room, enjoying the quiet afternoon as her hands deftly fold colorful pieces of paper. She hums a song, a familiar tune Azura had sung for her and Sakura once.

She’s glad to have the day off, undisturbed as she works on the surprise for her siblings.

With her schedule the past few weeks, she has found very little time to work on her project. Not when she is needed for royal duties as an official princess of Hoshido (and a former princess/current diplomat of Nohr).

She stops her folding and leans against the wooden beam next to her. She closes her eyes, basking in the autumn sun.

“Corrin?” she wakes with a yelp, scrambling to stand up but instead falls over on her side, crushing her hard work beneath her. She lets out a pitiful sigh. 

“Big brother!” she scrambles into a sitting position when she notices it’s Ryoma staring at her, wearing an amused expression.

“We missed you at dinner.” 

“I’m sorry.” she apologizes, not having realized the sun had begun to set. Her unplanned nap was longer than she thought it was. “I fell asleep.”

“What’s this?” he bends down and picks up one of her destroyed projects. His eyes move to the small wooden box sitting atop the colorful pieces of paper. In the box were numerous, _tiny_ \- “Cranes-?” Corrin quickly slams the lid onto the box.

“You weren’t supposed to see!!” she wails dramatically, “It was supposed to be a surprise!” Ryoma blinks at her, confusion apparent on his face.

“A surprise?”

“The cranes.” she gestures at the crushed pile of cranes she had been working on diligently since- well, before she decided to take a nap. “For you and the others. I was going to string them up with paper lanterns.” she picks up one of the crumpled paper cranes and attempts to shape it back into form. “These are for Hinoka.” she holds it up for him to see. The paper crane is red, with flecks of blue painted on. “The one you’re holding is for Azura.” the crane is blue, with white flecks. 

For him, the red paper with golden flecks. For Takumi, the blue with flecks of red, and for Sakura, pink with flecks of white.

“What brought this on?"

“I just wanted to make something for you guys, that’s all.” 

“Is that the only reason?” he sits down beside her, pushing the cranes to the side.

“Well-” she thinks for a moment, unsure whether to confide in Ryoma. She doesn’t like bothering any of her siblings with her thoughts.

“Corrin, whatever is on your mind, you can confide in me.” he tells her, “I will listen.”

“...It’s-... _hard_ , to return to a life of normalcy.” she admits, “It’s only been four months since the war ended but…some days I wake up from terrible dreams about the war and the people-” she forces her voice steady, “I needed something to do to try and forget and- I saw a woman selling paper cranes in jars one day so- this happened.” she gestures at the cranes, bringing her knees to her chest. “It… keeps me from thinking about- about _them_. It gives me something to do instead of sitting around and replaying what happened in my mind and feeling horrible about everything.”

“Some days I wonder… especially after the dreams- I wonder if I made the right decision. Choosing to side with Hoshido instead of Nohr.” she doesn’t look at him. The air is heavier now, and Corrin is afraid she said too much, with how quiet her brother is.

“You did the best you could.” he says, “And sometimes that is all you can do. And that is enough.” he smiles gently, and Corrin wipes at the stray tears that fell from her eyes.

“Thank you, big brother.” she gives him a small smile in return. She picks up one of the ruined paper cranes. “I suppose I’ll have to remake all of these now.” she sighs.

“Would you like some help?”

“I can’t ask you to help! How can I call it a gift from myself when you have a part in it?” she furiously shakes her head. “It’s better if I do it myself.” she pauses, “But you can keep me company as I make them if you’re not busy. Tell me about your day.”

** Hinoka **

“Onigiri?” Corrin watches as Hinoka gathers ingredients in the storeroom, placing them into a bowl that Corrin carries in her arms. 

“Commonly known as rice balls.” the warrior princess explains, “They’re small balls of rice with filling in them, usually salted salmon or pickled plum.” she fills a small pouch with rice before leaving the storeroom, with Corrin following her into the kitchens. It was practically empty, save for a few servants cleaning. “Thought it’d be something simple and easy that you’d be able to make.”

“I- thank you Hinoka. I’m happy we get to spend time together.” Corrin smiles softly. The chance to spend time with Hinoka is rare, and Corrin gladly takes the opportunities that the world grants her to spend time with her older sister.

“Me too.” she grins. “Besides, it’s one of the only things I can actually make.”

“Hinoka I’m sure you can make other things too.” the look Hinoka gives her seems to say otherwise.

“I’ve only managed to make an omelet with Setsuna’s help, but between the two of us it took several days to make an edible omelet.” the redhead seems to cringe at the mere memory of it.

“Well, I’m not good at cooking either. Rather, I’ve never had experience with cooking anything before. Though I did try and make tea a few times. But I’m sure these rice balls will turn out perfect with your help!”

She is wrong.

It isn’t that Hinoka isn’t helpful or bad at teaching her, it's just that Corrin somehow manages to burn the rice and the salmon she makes is _way too salty_ and when Hinoka grills it the second time it catches fire because Corrin has never cooked a day in her life and _she didn’t know having too much oil could make it catch on fire!!_

“I’m so sorry.” Corrin buries her face in her hands as she crouches down. The second batch of rice had turned out perfectly, if not a little soggy, and she ended up tripping over a basket and the pot holding the cooked rice had landed with a _splat_ onto the floor. “I’m a terrible cook.”

“For someone who’s never cooked a day in their life, I would've expected way worse than this.” Corrin peaks between her fingers to see Hinoka crouch down beside her. “You’re doing better than I did with the omelet, and I had someone helping me.” Hinoka helps her up, “Let’s clean this up and try again. Third time’s the charm, right?”

“Did… did we do it?” Corrin stares at the rice balls they made. Two rice balls shaped into triangles with grilled salted salmon tucked inside _,_ thericewith nori wrapped around them.

“Only one way to find out.” Hinoka grabs two of the rice balls and hands one to Corrin, who bites into it hesitantly.

“These are delicious!” the younger exclaims, taking a few more bites as Hinoka does the same. 

“It is! You even grilled the salmon perfectly.” Hinoka ruffles her hair, “You did a great job.”

“Only because I had your help.” Corrin smiles. “Let’s make more to give to the others! I'll get more rice.” Corrin walks over to the door, but stops, turning back to give Hinoka a surprise hug, nearly causing the elder to drop her riceball. “I’m happy we get to spend time together big sis!”

**Takumi**

Corrin wakes up in the middle of the night with cold sweat, gasping for breath as her sight focuses on the ceiling.

She lets out a shaky breath. Let’s her breathing even out

She’s in Sakura’s room, with her siblings, who are fast asleep, spread out around her. They had spent the evening playing games and telling stories, and decided to just sleep (pass out in Corrin and Hinoka’s case) in Sakura’s room instead of returning to their own rooms.

She doesn’t see Takumi, and wonders where he is.

She hears a melody being played, and she stands up, following the source. The door to the porch is cracked open and she slips through, closing it behind her. 

Takumi sits under a tree, eyes closed as he plays a bamboo flute. Corrin makes her way towards him and sits down next to him. He continues playing, and after a few more minutes the song ends, and Takumi opens his eyes as he lowers the flute.

“It’s late,” he says.

“It is.” she agrees, “Couldn’t sleep?”

“Something like that.”

“Bad dream?” she takes his silence as a yes. “Me too.”

She’s getting better though. The nightmares are lessening, surely but slowly.

She wonders if the same could be said for Takumi. She wants to ask, but she holds her tongue. 

It’s peaceful tonight, and she doesn’t want to disrupt that peace by asking about nightmares.

“I grew up playing the piano.” she tells him instead, “It’s a lot different from the instruments here in Hoshido.”

She misses playing the piano. 

“How different?”

“Well- it’s bigger.” she cringes at her words, “It’s- kind of a string instrument? It’s in this big uh… boxlike thing.” she uses her hands to gesture how large the instrument is, and nearly takes her brother's eye out. “Sorry!” she apologizes before continuing. “It has these- um… little hammers that hit the strings when you press the buttons and you have to be sitting down to play it…?” Takumi stares at her with confusion, and Corrin finds herself feeling a little embarrassed.

Her descriptions do not do the marvelous instrument justice. 

Perhaps she can draw it out on paper, but she’s terrible at drawing so it would just confuse her brother even more.

“Honestly, what you just described to me sounds unbelievable.” he says, “But maybe you can ask Ryoma to have one brought here for you from Nohr.”

“I’d rather not bother him with something unimportant like this.” she waves away the suggestion. 

“Of course it’s important. You’re our sister.”

Corrin blinks, the words sinking in, then smiles warmly. It had taken time for her and Takumi to form a familial bond, due to the many shields Takumi had put up against her when they had first met. That and peeling back the many layers of his rather prickly personality.

She had mentioned that once before, comparing him to a cactus. Hinoka had found it absolutely hilarious. Takumi less so.

“You’re looking at me weird.” he frowns at her, then yelps when she pulls him into a hug.

“Did I ever tell you you’re my favorite brother?” she grins.

“You don’t have favorites.” he points out. “You said so yourself.”

“Well, I changed my mind. You’re my favorite now.” Corrin yawns, letting him go. “Can you play another song?” she gestures at the bamboo flute in his hand, 

“We should go back to sleep.”

“One more song first.” she pleads, and he sighs, relenting as he begins to play a quiet melody that she immediately recognizes, and she hums along with his playing.

When they return to Sakura’s room, neither of them have bad dreams for the rest of the night.

** Sakura **

**__** _Breathe in._

_Breathe out._

Corrin closes her eyes, repeating the mantra in her mind. 

She opens her eyes and takes a deep breath, her hold on the bow tight.

“Big sister!” the familiar voice distracts her, and her hand slips. She hisses as she slices her palm. “Big sister!” Corrin looks over her shoulder to see Sakura rush to her side with worry. “I’m s-so sorry!”

“It’s nothing to worry about Sakura.” she tries to reassure her. “It’s just a flesh wound.” that seems to make her worry even more. “I’ve had worse.” Corrin _really_ isn’t helping Sakura feel any better, she notices.

“W-We need to take you to the infirmary!” Sakura tugs Corrin in that direction. Her sliced palm is cleaned and wrapped in bandages, and she is forbidden from putting any strain or pressure on her injured hand. 

“Sakura, you don’t have to keep apologizing. I’m really alright,” she reassures her. “Did you need me for something?”

“I-It’s nothing!” she stammers, “You’re injured, s-so it can wait!”

“Are you sure? My hand doesn’t hurt that much.” not anymore at least. It had stung quite a bit on the way to the infirmary, but she’s suffered far worse injuries than a slice to her hand.

“I-I was just wondering… if you wanted t-to go to the market with m-me.”

“Of course I do.” Corrin smiles, “Shall we go right now?”

The marketplace is as lively as ever. Bright and colorful. Warm.

Sakura pulls her along to different stalls, staring at little trinkets that catch hers or Corrin’s attention. 

They also eat a large variety of sweets, though that is not surprising considering how much of a sweet tooth the two of them have.

“What’s this?” Corrin stops at a stall, picking up a white clay cat doll, it’s left paw up, beckoning at her. The stall has similar clay cat dolls on display.

“Ah- that’s a Maneki-neko.” 

“Maneki… neko?”

“A lucky cat.” Sakura tells her, picking one up in her hands, “They’re believed to bring good luck to their owner.”

“Why do people think they bring good luck?”

“The legend is that there was a man seeking shelter from a storm beneath a tree when a cat appeared nearby. It raised its left paw, beckoning him over. The man approached the cat, and lightning struck the tree, causing it to come crashing down where he had been sitting moments before.” Sakura explains, “They’re also called ‘beckoning cats’.”

“Well, they are very cute.” she says, “Do you have one?”

“Ah- I used to, but I broke it by accident years ago.”

“Then let’s buy these for ourselves.” Sakura smiles as they pay the old woman in charge of the stall, and they tuck the Maneki-nekos in a bamboo basket that they had brought along to hold whatever they choose to buy.

Corrin spots a particular stall as Sakura buys a few more sweets and wanders over to it. The stall carries lovely folding fans, delicately painted with beautiful landscapes. 

A pink fan with a red tassel catches her eye, a beautiful cherry blossom tree in bloom alongside a river painted on it. She buys it immediately and returns to Sakura.

“I bought this for you.” Corrin holds it out, and Sakura’s eyes widen as she takes it from her and just- stares at it

Corrin notices the tears right away.

“Sakura?! What- is it that bad?” Corrin asks panicky, because she _does not_ know why her sister is crying all of a sudden, but comes to the conclusion buying the fan was a mistake.

“No it’s b-beautiful!” Sakura cries, “Just- b-before she d-died, Mother gave me a similar fan!” oh.

 _Oh_.

Now Corrin feels absolutely terrible.

“I’m sorry Sakura I-I should return it-”

“No!” Sakura hugs the fan close, “I love it. I’m going to keep it and put it with the one M-Mother gave me.” she hesitates before pulling Corrin into a hug. “Thank you for this big sister! I’ll treasure it forever!”


End file.
